As the Paris 2024 Paralympics close, you’ve likely seen videos of past Olympic and Paralympian athletes resurfaced across social media and the news.
A Paralympian legend we hope to see grace our feeds is Bonnie St. John.
Bonnie was the first black athlete to win medals at the Paralympic Winter Games and went on to become a Harvard graduate, a Rhodes Scholar and a White House official.
A Paralympian uphill battle
Bonnie was born with a stunted leg that could cause critical health issues later in life. At only 5 years old, her left leg was amputated.
Her father left before she was born, which put her family in a difficult financial position.
Regardless, Bonnie’s mother, Ruby Cremaschi-Schwimmer, fostered a bold confidence within Bonnie and taught her the power of positive thinking.
This prepared her for the obstacles she faced as a member of such a marginalized community.
Bonnie also credits her mother for encouraging her to ski as she loved the sport but didn’t feel like a star candidate.
Despite her doubts, Bonnie proved herself otherwise. To fund her training, she worked at a drugstore after school and secured donated gear from ski shops.
Bonnie explained that she fell a lot and the beginning days were awful for her.
She didn’t receive specialized training and worked alongside two-legged skiers.
Able-bodies athletes scrutinized and teased her while she practiced.
Reaching the summit
But her resilience and passion prevailed. At the 1982 Winter Paralympics, left with one silver and two bronze medals in Para alpine skiing.
In 1986, she graduated magna cum laude in government from Harvard and became a Rhodes Scholarship recipient, taking her to Oxford to study economics.
In 1990, Bonnie also became the director of the National Economic Council during the Bill Clinton administration.
Her illustrious and multi-faceted career made her a powerful and sought-after motivational speaker.
In 2002, Bonnie founded a program called Blue Circle.
Blue Circle’s mission is to cultivate leadership skills among members of minority groups in athletics and the corporate world.
Her work ethic and willingness to endure adversity are commendable and a testament to the human spirit.
Read more stories like Bonnie St. John’s here.
